


Brother and Sister

by FleetSparrow



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 10:54:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16973271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetSparrow/pseuds/FleetSparrow
Summary: Martha and Thomas Wayne had decided when it was time to have kids they would have two and, with any luck, they’d have a girl and a boy. After Bruce was born, however, Martha decided that she could not go through with another birth. When they were ready to have another child, they would adopt.Bruce kept them more than busy, but by the time he was eight, they decided that they could deal with another child. One close to Bruce’s age would be best, since Martha and Thomas knew what they were dealing with and the children could keep each other company in such a big house. For the next few months, they searched through the Gotham adoption agencies trying to find the right match for their home. Finally, they chose a little girl named Selina, a quiet, but clever girl who was only a few months younger than Bruce.





	Brother and Sister

**Author's Note:**

> Another old fic from 2013, moved to save it from Tumblr's self-destruction.
> 
> AU prompt from another tumblr.

The ride home from school was a time Alfred enjoyed, when the children could talk freely about their day without censoring themselves for the parents’ benefit and while things were still fresh in their minds.

Selina bounced her heels against the seat, talking in an exasperated whine. “So, anyway,  _I_  got in trouble because I said that having a skirt as the only uniform is dumb because I can’t climb trees with the boys, and then Mrs. Patterson said that I shouldn’t be climbing trees with the boys anyway, but that’s even  _dumber_  because I can climb better than anyone else in the school, so I said–”

“No, you can’t,” Bruce interrupted, scowling fiercely. “I’m the best climber in the school. I practice all the time.”

“Well, I  _could be_  the best climber in the school if I didn’t have to wear a stupid skirt!”

“So you’re not the best climber,” Bruce said smugly.

“I so am!” She glared at him. “I’m way better than you at everything because you’re a boy and boys are dumb.”

“I’m not dumb!” Bruce yelled.

“Volume, Master Bruce,” Alfred said, giving them both a stern look in the rearview mirror.

“Sorry, Alfred,” they said together. They both stared at the floor, waiting for enough silence to pass before they could start talking again.

“I’m not dumb,” Bruce repeated, quieter this time. “I’m gonna save people like Dad, only I’m not gonna be a doctor.” He stared straight ahead, his eyes gleaming with a fierce determination. “I’m gonna be like Zorro, a dark avenger of the night. I’m gonna be…” He paused for dramatic effect. “Batman!”

Selina looked at him. “That’s dumb.”

“It is not!” He glared at her. “You just don’t get it ‘cause you’re not creative.”

“I so am!” Selina pouted and stared out the window. After a long moment, she said, “Well, then I’m Catwoman.”

Bruce snorted. “ _That’s_  dumb. You’re just copying me.”

“I am not! I like cats and I’m a woman. You don’t even like bats, so you’re copying me!”

“I said it first!” He frowned. “You’re not a woman. Mom’s a woman. You’re a girl. You have to be Catgirl.”

“No! I’m not a Catgirl, I’m a Cat _woman_!” She pursed her lips, huffing in frustration. “You’re not a  _man_ , Bat _boy_.”

“I’m Batman!” Bruce shouted, shoving her hard.

She clutched her arm. “Ow! Alfred, he hit me!” As she finished speaking, she leaned over and slugged Bruce.

“Ow! Alfred, she hit  _me!_ ”

“That’s enough, both of you,” Alfred said, the firmness of his tone cutting through the already rising protests. “If you do not stop fighting this instant, I shall tell your mother about this.” The children grumbled. “Now, Master Bruce, apologize to your sister.”

“But she hit me first….”

“Miss Selina will be apologizing as well.” Selina pouted and kicked her feet against the passenger seat. “Now?”

Bruce frowned and half-heartedly glared at Selina. “I’m sorry, Selina.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“I’m sorry I hit you.”

“Good. Now, Miss Selina, apologize to your brother.”

She sighed. “I’m sorry I hit you, Bruce.” She looked at him and mouthed, <<But you shouldn’t have shoved me in the first place.>>

He pursed his lips and mouthed back, <<Well, you shouldn’t have copied me.>>

<<I did not!>>

<<Did so!>>

<<Did not!>>

<<Did so!>>

<<I did not!>>

<<Copycat!>>

“I am not!” Selina said, crossing her arms and staring out the window.

Alfred looked at them through the rearview mirror. “You’re not what, Miss Selina?”

She sniffed, not looking away from the window. “He called me a copycat.”

Bruce rolled his eyes. “You don’t need to cry because of  _that_.”

“I’m not crying!” she wailed, punctuating her statement with a loud sniff.

“Perhaps, if I may suggest something,” Alfred said, looking between his two charges. “Perhaps Batman and Catwoman can work together, as partners fighting against crime.”

Bruce nodded slowly. “‘Partners fighting against crime…’ Yeah, that’d be fun! You could be my sidekick!”

Selina looked back, scrubbing her tears away with the back of her hand. “I don’t wanna be your sidekick. That sounds dumb.”

“Well, we can’t be partners unless you’re my sidekick.”

“Then maybe I don’t wanna  _be_  partners! Maybe I’ll be a super awesome villain and you’ll have to chase me, but you’ll never catch me because I’m too smart for you!”

“No one can escape Batman!”

Selina grinned. “I can because I’m family and I’m better at climbing trees than you.”

“No, you’re not!” Bruce puffed up his chest. “When we get home, we’re gonna climb the biggest tree in the yard, and then you’ll see who’s best!”

She preened. “Yeah. It’ll be me.”

“It will not!”

“Will too!”

“Will  _not!_ ”

“Will  _too!_ ”

Alfred took a deep breath and shook his head as his charges continued their verbal battle. If anyone got out of this without a broken limb, it would be a good day.


End file.
